Acetylene-gas generator



May 27, 1924.,

7 D. vMAUPIN ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR Filed Jan. 10. 1921 Patented May27, 1924.

DOLPH MAUPIN, 0F GARROLLTON, MISSOURI.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Application filed January 10, 1921.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOLPH MAUPIN, a citizen of the United States, andresident of, Carrollton, county of Carroll and State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-GasGenerators, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators, and more especiallyto that class of generators to be arranged in a pit outside of abuilding, by preference, for supplying gas for illumination purposes,and my object is to produce a generator which will efiect the automaticgenerization of gas whenever the supply of the same is substantiallyexhausted, until the entire supply of carbide is exhausted. A furtherobject is to provide a generator of this character equipped with areserve supply of carbide, and means whereby such reserve supply can bemanually discharged into the magazine to continue the automaticgenerization of gas for a further predetermined length of time.

A still further object is to produce an acetylene gas generator of:simple, strong, durable and inexpensive construction.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel anduseful features of construction and con'ibinations of parts ashereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1, is a view partly in elevation and partly in central verticalsection, of a gas generator embodying the invention.

Figure 2, is a vertical section on the line II--II of Figure, 1.

Figure 3, is an enlarged plan view of a part of the carbide magazine orholder to illustrate more clearly the construct-ion of the reservecarbide container.

Figure 4, is a sectional perspective view to disclose more clearlycertain details of the construction of the reserve carbide container.

In the said drawing, a tank to be almost wholly buried in the ground,comprises the lower portion or water container 1, the upper portion 2 orreduced diameter, and a removable cover 2 the portion 2 forming inconjunction with an inner wall 3 flanged outward at its lower end, acircular liquid seal chamber 4:, The wall 3 is provided Serial No.436,315.

with an internal head 5 to constitute a support for a carbide magazine6, the latter having an external bead 7 resting on bead 5. The lowerpart of the magazine tapers downwardly and has a discharge opening atits lower end or apex, and near its upper end, said magazine is providedwith a cross bar 8 as a support for a vertical tube 9 disposedvertically over the apex of the magazine. The tube terminates at itslower end in an outwardly-flaring or conical skirt 10 disposed a shortdistance above the discharge opening of the magazine to guard against atoo liberal discharge of carbide into the tank when the controllingvalve of the magazine is opened.

The controlling valve is preferably in the form of a fiat plate or disk11 secured to the-lower end of a vertical rod 12, extend ing up throughtube 9 and terminating in a plane above the upper end of the same, andto hold the valve elevated and normally closing the orifice at the apexof the tapering or inverted conical portion or" the magazine, spiralspring 13 fits around rod 12 within tube 9, and bears atits lower endagainst a cross piece 14 at the lower end of the tube,'and at its upperend against a collar 15 secured on said rod. hen unresisted, the springwill close the valve against the magazine and thus prevent carbide cs- Icaping through said opening.

The magazine is provided with a removable cover 16, held inplace byfrictional grip or otherwise. Through the top of the cover the tube 9and rod 12 project, so that I when the gas hell or holder 17 descends asufficient distance, as hereinafter explained, it will press said roddownwardwith suflicient force to overcome the resistance of spring 13and lower or unseat said valve 11 to effect a discharge of carbide intothe water in the generator tank, this action being indicated inFigure 1. The wall of the bell or holder depends into the liquid-sealchamber. so that gas entering the bell or holder, through the cover 16and a slot hereinafter mentioned, shallbe excluded from the chamber orportion 2 ot'the generator above the liquid-seal exterior to the gasbell. For convenience in venting air from the bell when gas firstgenerated in the tank, a pet-cock 1T ,is provided at the top of thebell, and for handling the bell or holder, it is provided with a, pairof handles, as at 18.

Arranged Within the magazine is a reserve-carbide holder 19, the wall ofthe magazine constituting one wall of said holder by preference. Thebottom 20 of said holder slopes downwardly and inwardly and is providedwith a discharge-opening 21, normally closed by a suitable hingedsub-bottom or valve 22, which is provided with an outwardly projectinglug 23. Arranged within the reserve carbide holder and against andpivoted to the inner wall thereof, is a catch 24, provided at its lowerend with a hook 25 to engage under the lug 23 of the valve 22 and holdthe latter normally closed to guard against the escape of carbide fromsaid holder. The pivoted catch 24% extends upward through a slot- 26through which gas may pass as above referred to in th free edge of ahinged cap 27 mounted on the cover of the magazine to close the opening28 therein except for said slot 26. The reserve charge of carbide can beeasily deposited in holder 19, by opening cap 2'7, without removing themagazine cover. The catch 24 terminates at its upper end in a laterallyprojecting arm 29 standing in the path of a lug 30 depending from theinner side of the top of the bell or holder 17, so that when the latteris in fully depressed position, and grasped and manually turned, thepressure of the lug 30 on the arm 29 shall operate and thereby trip thecatch from under the lug 23 of valve 22 and permit said valve under theweight of the carbide to drop to permit the carbide to pass into themagazine. Underlying the reserve holder is a retarder 31 in the form ofan inverted V-shaped arm projecting from the wall of the magazine, thisarm retarding but not completely arresting the feed of the carbide fromthe reserve holder into the magazine, to provide sufficient time for aquantity of carbide to enter the water and result in the production ofgas to cause the bell to ris and close the valve 11 prior to thecomplete evacuation of the reserve holder into the magazine. Theretarder thus permits of the employment of a. sutii cient reserve supplyof carbide to charge the bell with gas more than once. The auxiliarycharge of carbide as customary, is for u e when the supply in themagazine becomes exhausted as indicated by the lights getting low orbecoming extinguished. hen this occurs th bell is fully depressed and,the operator can remove the top or cover 2, and turn the bell or holderby handles 18 until lug 30 performs the function as herein beforeexplained.

This generator has the same general mode of operation as old generatorsof this general type, that is to say when a charge of carbide drops intothe water of portion 1. gas is generated under sufiicient pressure toraise the bell, and as this occurs the spring 13 reseats the valve' andcuts off the dis charge of carbide. As the gas in the bell is used, thebell descends gradually and eventually imposes its weight on the stem 12of the valve and unseats the same and thus effects a repetition of thegeneration operation and the reelevation of the bell, these actionsbeing repeated until the entire supply of carbide in the magazine isexhausted.

lVith a fiat valve engaging the relatively sharp lower edge of themagazine at the margin of the discharge opening, any interposed lumps ofcarbide will be crushed or broken to permit the valve to be properlyseated. The magazine is provided with a ring 6 for protecting thecarbide adjacent the valve, from excessive moisture.

The gas is drawn off from the chamber of portion 1 above the watertherein through a pipe 32 equipped with a filter 33 of any suitabletype, located within the tank or exterior thereto as shown, and when itis desired to have access. to the interior of the generator, the gas canbe cut off in said pipe by the operation of the customary valve mountedin the tube 35 adjacent the generator or located at any other convenientpoint. The valve is accessible through a housing tube 36 provided with aremovable cap 37.

lVhen the magazine is recharged, a reserve charge is also placed in thereserve carbide chamber and the valve of the same is closed and securedin such position by the adjustment'of the catch 24-. to the positionshown most clearly in Figure 4.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced anacetylene generator embodying the features of advantage set forth asdesirable in the statement of the object of the invention, and while Ihave illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the same, itis to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in thedetail construction and arrangement of the parts as properly fall withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim v 1. In an acetylene gas generator, a carbide magazine suitablysupported and provided with yieldingly-closed discharge-controllingmeans, and a cover having an opening, a door controlling the opening inthe cover and provided with a slot in its free edge, a reserve carbideholder within the magazine below the said cover opening, and providedwith a bottom discharge opening. a valv for closing said holderdischarge opening, a latch pivoted to and within the holder andextending upwardly through the cover opening and the slot of the doorfor such opening, and provided at its upper end with alaterally-projecting arm and at its lower end with a hook normallyengaging the said valve to hold it closed, and a gas bell fitted overthe magazine and adapted when sufiiciently depressed, to open theyieldingly closed discharg controlling means, and a lug depending fromthe bell, and adapted when the latter is properly turned and fullylowered, to engage the laterally-projecting arm of the latch to free thesaid valve to opening movement.

2. In an acetylene gas generator, a carbide magazine suitably supportedand provided with yieldingly-closed discharge-controlling means, and acover having an opening, a door controlling the opening in the cover andprovided with a slot in its free edge, a reserve carbide holder withinthe magazine below the said cover opening, and provided with a bottomdischarge opening, a valve for closing said holder discharge opening, alatch pivoted to and within the holder and extending upwardly throughthe cover opening and the slot of the door for such opening, andprovided at its upper end with a laterally-projecting arm and at itslower end with a hook normally engaging the said valve to hold itclosed, and a gas bell fitted over the magazine and adapted whensufiiciently depressed, to open the yieldinglycloseddischarge-controlling means, a lug depending from the bell, and adaptedwhen the latter is properly turned and fully lowered, to engage thelaterally-projecting arm of the latch to free the said valve to openingmovement, and an inverted V-shaped retarder underlying the said valvecontrolled openm s.

lln testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

DOLPH MAUPIN.

